The new, enhanced digital ACT officially launched in April 2025 with the full launch occurring in paper in September 2025, and we’ve got the inside scoop from a firsthand test-taker (one of our tutors🤫) to help you navigate this big shift. Whether you’re a student prepping for your first ACT, a parent supporting one, or a counselor advising students, here’s what you need to know.
🎙️ Want to Hear Directly from our secret ACT Test-Taker?
You can see the full conversation on our podcast Tests and the Rest
👉 Listen to A TEST TAKER’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ENHANCED ACT
🖥️ Want to Hear More About The New ACT Enhancements?
Attend our upcoming webinar on ALL of the ACT changes in 2025 on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 7:30 pm
👉 Register for the webinar here
🎯 Key Takeaways from the New Digital ACT
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🧠 Overall Experience
- Less time pressure across all sections
- Test still lasts about 3.5 hours (7:45 AM – 11:30 AM) if you take the optional Science section
- Administered digitally, but scrap paper is allowed
- Platform matched official digital ACT practice test exactly
✍️ English Section
- Very similar content to past ACTs
- New question prompt: “Which choice is most grammatically acceptable?”
- Lots of redundancy questions
- Some new items on tone
- No argumentative passage as previously announced
Pro Test Tip: Practice identifying subtle tone shifts and spotting redundancy.
📖 Reading Section
- Passages felt familiar, with one fewer question per passage
- Scrolling required to view full text which can be awkward
- Annotation tools were limited—highlights don’t persist
- Most testers should feel better with the extra time now
Pro Digital Test Tip: Learn to actively read without relying on digital annotations.
🔬 Science Section
- Still awkward on-screen: scrolling and labeling were confusing
- 7 passages total (3 focused on data representation, 3 on research summaries, and 1 conflicting viewpoint)
- No engineering passage as previously announced
- 2–3 background knowledge questions, as usual
Pro Digital Test Tip: Practice interpreting charts and figures digitally, not on paper.
➗ Math Section
- Noticeably harder than previous ACTs
- Advanced questions appeared much earlier
- More emphasis on statistics (e.g. regression, correlation)
- No matrix questions, but challenging terminology
Pro Test Tip: Prioritize advanced statistics and get comfortable with stats vocabulary.
💡 Digital Testing Details You Shouldn’t Miss
- 5-minute warning popup is small and easy to overlook
- Must click directly on the answer bubble onscreen
- Easy to accidentally skip questions
- Manual time-tracking is crucial (consider STILL bringing and using a watch)
✅ What You Should Do Next
For Students:
- Practice on the official ACT digital platform
- Track your own time during practice tests
- Brush up on advanced math, especially stats
- Work on digital science navigation strategies
- Learn to recognize tone and redundancy in English
- Know that one passage in English, Reading, and Science will NOT count in your scores (no way to tell!)
- Know that four questions in Math will NOT count in your score (no way to tell!)
For Parents & Educators:
- Use updated ACT prep materials to reflect the digital platform
- Incorporate bubble-click precision into practice
- Teach students to use a silent, simple watch
- Add lessons on new English prompt types and early math difficulty
❓Questions or need help preparing for the new Enhanced ACT?
We’re here to help every step of the way in Cincinnati or Cleveland with group classes or one-on-one tutoring, on the ACT or SAT, or in paper or digital formats. Let’s make this new testing experience a strong one 💪.
Best,
The Seeley Test Pros/LEAP Team
Cleveland: 216-965-5162 or info@seeleytestpros.com
Cincinnati: 513-754-2240 or info@leaprogram.com